


Training Tuesdays

by SamCyberCat



Category: Free!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Friendship, Gen, platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 22:28:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20590136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamCyberCat/pseuds/SamCyberCat
Summary: The Hidaka boys have taken to jogging on Tuesdays to help improve their stamina. On one such training session, Asahi almost dies (although he might just be exaggerating).





	Training Tuesdays

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was my piece in the "For The Team" zine, a zine focusing on all the different friendships in the series. It's the biggest zine I've taken part in so far and I'm honoured to have been able to work alongside so many amazing creators in the fandom. When I was assigned to write a fic for the trio of Asahi, Haru & Seijuro I was glad for a chance to write this unusual combination of characters and hope my fun little oneshot does them justice.

The buildings and students that he passed by were starting to seem like a blur of blue, green and orange. It was humid today, which didn't help at all. People were looking at him as if they’d never seen a redhead in shorts running like his future career depended on it.

Asahi had to stop for a breather. He bent down, put his hands on his knees and just stood there, catching his breath as Seijuro had the audacity to run past him, showing no signs of wear whatsoever. That guy couldn't be human! It was the only explanation for why he just didn't get tired!

“Come on, Shiina! Keep up!” Seijuro called back.

“In a... in a minute...” Asahi huffed.

His frustration almost matched his exhaustion. Asahi knew that he was in great shape. Not to brag, but he turned a few heads when he went out around Tokyo in his tank top. He worked hard, especially since coming to university. Asahi worked so hard to be worthy of his place in Hidaka. This was his dream and it meant so much to him. Being surrounded by so many other people who were striving to achieve the same dream only spurred him on even further.

But Seijuro Mikoshiba was something else. As Asahi watched him disappear around the block, he shook his head and stood up straight again. That was when Haru caught up with him. Despite being third in their little race, Haru had paced himself and didn't seem nearly as exhausted as Asahi was. Asahi jerked his thumb in the direction that Seijuro had gone.

“You knew that guy from high school, yeah? Was he always like that?” he asked.

“Mikoshiba was always... intense,” Haru answered.

“Maaan, I don't know whether to be in awe or be jealous! I know he's our senior, but I'd need to have rockets strapped to my feet to match all the laps he does,” said Asahi, “N-not that I'm implying that he's better than me in the water or anything...! Because of course I'm the best there. But with running? Does the guy ever get tired?”

“Maybe if we keep going, we'll find out,” said Haru.

With that, Haru set off again. He was straight to the point as always and Asahi admired that. He was also probably right. So Asahi decided that it was now his personal mission to run long enough to see Seijuro tire out. This determination gave him his second wind and he hurried after Haru, telling his calf muscles to suck it up.

* * *

Twelve laps...

Thirteen laps...

Eighteen laps...

Twenty-three laps...?

They'd done so many that Asahi couldn't keep count after a while, but he wasn't going to stop. At the very least, he didn't want to be the first one to give up. Although he wasn't going to admit it, Asahi felt relieved when he saw Haru turn into one of the greens around the campus and then come to a halt. If Haru had stopped, then surely it was acceptable for Asahi to do the same?

He made his way over to where Haru was stood waiting. As soon as he'd reached him, Asahi felt his knees buckle and he sank down onto the grass. It felt cool against his legs and he didn't even care about the green stains the grass left on his knees from where he'd skidded to a halt so quickly.

“That's it... I'm done for today...” he said, “Mikoshiba can't make me do any more laps, even if he drags me kicking and screaming...”

“Was that a challenge?”

Asahi almost jumped out of his skin, despite the exhaustion. He scrambled around to see Seijuro looming over him, hands on his hips and grinning like the monster that he was. The guy was sweating from the laps, but other than that he didn't look nearly as worn out as Asahi felt. How did he do it?

“You can't make me!” Asahi protested.

Seijuro let out one of his booming laughs, but then shook his head; “That's enough for one day, I think. You've both done very well!”

“No one likes a boastful winner...” Asahi muttered.

“I mean it,” said Seijuro, “This isn't about winning or losing, it's about increasing your stamina and I can see that it's working.”

He reached into his pack and grabbed a couple of bottles, tossing one to Asahi and one to Haru. Despite feeling like none of his limbs wanted to function right now, Asahi somehow managed to catch the bottle. He twisted off the top and downed the contents, which of course was protein shake instead of good old fashioned water. Some of the guys on their team joked that Seijuro practically lived on protein shakes. Once Asahi had drank as much as he could, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, yet still didn't feel satisfied.

“Are you sure this is working? I feel just as beat today as I did when we went jogging last week,” he checked.

“I'm certain!” said Seijuro, “Shiina, this week you managed twenty-six laps, beating your previous week by two laps and easily out-matching the first time we all went out jogging together, when you only managed fourteen. And Nanase, although your twenty-four laps is steady with last week, you're much less exhausted this time, which shows that your body is getting stronger. To make such improvements in a short amount of time... I'm envious!”

Asahi wasn't sure which part surprised him more – the fact that Seijuro had kept detailed tallies of their progress or the fact that he was envious of them.

“But you're... well, look at you! You're not even tired and I bet you've done loads more laps than we have,” Asahi argued.

“My improvement didn't happen nearly as quickly as yours. If I don't watch my back, then you'll both surpass me soon enough,” reasoned Seijuro. “Besides, just because someone doesn't look tired, doesn't mean that they aren't tired. Wouldn't you agree, Nanase?”

Haru nodded from where he'd been stood quietly, sipping his own drink. Neither Haru nor Seijuro outwardly seemed as exhausted as Asahi was, but now Asahi noticed the way that Haru was breathing much quicker than usual and his arms were almost glowing with sweat. The other two had both wanted to stop as well – it wasn't just Asahi.

“We've all done well,” Haru said.

Because that was all he needed to say. He was right and Asahi felt foolish for making such a big deal out of something that wasn't an issue. At the end of the day they were a team. Of course their individual improvement was important as well, but for the relay, they had to support each other and make sure they were all doing well.

Asahi was proud to be part of a strong team that was getting stronger all the time. He could include himself in that, too. So in his usual Asahi fashion, he bounced back – springing to his feet so suddenly that both Haru and Seijuro backed out of the way.

“All right, so we're all champions here,” Asahi announced, “And good champions have to eat like kings! That's part of staying in top form, isn't it?”

“I'd toast to that!” Seijuro cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

“Right! And after all that, I feel like I could eat a horse,” said Asahi, “So we deserve only the best – food that will nourish our bodies and spirits until we become the greatest champions in all of Japan! I'm going to treat you guys to a place where we can get the heartiest, healthiest and tastiest lunch in all of Tokyo.”

“It's the Marron, isn't it?” Haru asked.

Asahi pouted at him; “...Are you doubting me sister's cooking?”

“No, that's where I want to go as well,” Haru replied. Then he smirked; “But Akane should be paying you for the advertising.”

“You can tell her that. She'd bar me from the place for a week if I suggested it,” said Asahi, “Anyway, what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on before we hit the lunch time rush.”

For someone who was complaining that he could barely stand up mere minutes ago, Asahi had a spring in his step as he lead Haru and Seijuro off the campus and towards the familiar sight of the Marron. Perhaps his stamina truly was improving after all, but right now Asahi's mind was too occupied with thoughts of food and future victory to fret over the details.


End file.
